METAMORA, Ohio — Allie Herr is alive, healthy and thriving today, all because of an organ donation she received when she was just 2 years old.
"I'm doing sports, I am involved in every single high school event that every other kid would be in," said 17-year-old Allie Herr.
However, that wasn't always the case.
Allie was born with biliary atresia, a rare disease that blocks the flow of bile from the liver to the gallbladder.
Her mom, Jennifer Herr, said Allie depended on a feeding tube, she had a central line for multiple medications and she used sign language to communicate while growing up.
"She didn't take a bottle, she didn't eat, she didn't talk. I think at age of 1, she was all of 15 to 18 pounds," said Jennifer.
Allie's body was shutting down and she was in desperate need of a liver transplant. Finally, after one year and nine months on the waiting list, Allie received a lifesaving liver transplant and because of that donation, her mom says you would never know how sick she once was.
"She did beat death. It was knocking at our back door. Every day. Every night we would put her to bed. You know we would pray, that one more day, one more day with her," said Jennifer.
Today, Allie is a healthy young girl who will be graduating high school this year, a milestone her mom never thought she would see. "When you say yes to organ donation, this is what happens on the other side of it. This is the gift, the true gift that you can give to someone else to let your loved one carry on through organ donation."
The family who donated Allie's liver remained anonymous, however Allie says if she had the chance, she would say thank you, but she knows that is not enough.
"They just don't know how glad I am and my whole family is that they made that choice," said Allie, "and we will forever be grateful."